Community

[Combine Hunter]

Been re-watching this critically lauded, but little seen US sitcom in the run up to the final season that very nearly didn't happen. Just curious if there are any other Community fans among Cane and Rinse's own community, and what some of your favourite moments have been?

Personally, this is tied with Parks and Rec as my favourite comedy series of all time. Dan Harmon and his writing team have taken so many risks with this show, with stuff like the Dungeons and Dragons, Clay-mation, Video Game and Documentary style episodes. And have ultimately created something not only hilarious, but really heart felt too. Abed and Troy are two characters I love and relate to on many levels.

For those who haven't seen this show, here's a little peak at it's genius. This is from the episode that was a big parody of the TV show Glee :

[Flabyo]

I'm a pretty big fan, but I haven't got to season 5 yet cause I know I have to go through season 4 first and I don't want to spend as much on that as most places are asking for it.

[KissMammal]

God yes.

I'd actually say it's done the unthinkable and ousted Spaced as my favourite comedy series of all time. Writing so audacious and clever that it makes my head spin. I must have watched each episode* half a dozen times and I'm still discovering new jokes on every rewatch. Also it's one of the only TV shows I can think of that has 'done' videogames right.

Digital Gonzo did a really good discussion episode of it a couple of years back, and the host's opinions mirrored my own almost exactly - for most of season 1 I could take it or leave it, but then during the 'Modern Warfare' episode something just clicked and I devoured the rest of the episodes, then went back and watched it all again from the beginning with a much greater appreciation.

*Barring season 4. Personally I recommend avoiding season 4 like the plague. It was the one Dan Harmon was absent (ie fired) for, and though it has it's defenders in my personal opinion just isn't the same show as what came before - in all honesty I couldn't even get through it - it just made me cringe. A lot of people like to slag off season 3 and 5 too, but aside form s4 I love it all (although I will admit that it really tailed off towards the end of season 5 with a few episodes that felt rushed and just didn't work very well.

I love it so much I made this tribute poster that unites my two favourite TV shows:



As for Parks & Rec, I like it but have only seen the first season. It's one of those things that I keep meaning to catch up on but never get round to for whatever reason.

[KissMammal]

I'm a pretty big fan, but I haven't got to season 5 yet cause I know I have to go through season 4 first and I don't want to spend as much on that as most places are asking for it.

In all honesty, I would recommend just skipping it entirely. You won't miss anything. It really is a travesty as far as I'm concerned - I'd compare it to the gulf in quality between The Simpsons very best and very worst episodes, if that makes sense. Season 5 is somewhat of a reset anyway that finds the characters in quite a different place to where season 4 left off. If you really have to, read the synopsis on Wikipedia, but essentially all you need to know is:

Spoiler: show

Pierce graduated, Jeff reconciled with his father, Chang 'rehabilitated' and returned to campus as 'Kevin', claiming to have forgotten all of his misdeeds ('Changnesia') but was really working as a spy for City College, but ultimately betrayed them, and Troy and Britta got together, then split up

.

in the run up to the final season

As far as I know, so long as season 6 is well received and Yahoo! are happy with how it performs there is nothing preventing it from continuing, but with so many of the cast (and behind the scenes folk) having left at this point I think I'd be happy with a feature length 'movie' after season 6 to tie it all up in a bow (and perhaps get all of the departed cast members back for cameos).

[Todinho]

I just love community and to be honest it's probably my favorite comedy show ever!And yes the Glee episode was one of the best but Im still a sucker for the paintballs episodes,like Flabyo though I also didnt watch anything beyond season 3,I really got pissed when they decided to boot the series creator and keep making it without him then I heard he came back but Chevy Chase left so Im a bit undecided if I will go back to it or not and by what Kissmammal said it seems I was right in stop watching. But Im really glad they are getting to the 6 seasons and a movie milestone if the movie does happen I will watch that for sure.

[KissMammal]

Season 5 is undoubtedly not the home-run, triumphant return to form I hoped for, but it's still definitely worth checking out - in my opinion there are episodes in the first half of s5 that are up there with the best in the shows entire run, such as the polygraph test, Ass-Crack Bandit and 'Hot Lava/post-apocalypse' episodes. I also really love the episode about the friendship between Jeff and Ian Duncan (John Oliver). Really great stuff.

As I said though, for me it really tailed off a bit towards the end of the season - the animated GI Joe parody was too obtuse and just didn't work at all, the Dungeons & Dragons sequel episode was totally underwhelming (compared to the first D&D ep which is about as perfect a sitcom episode as you'll find) and the two-part finale felt very chaotic and rushed, and was a strange place to leave things. If nothing else I'm glad we're getting a season 6 purely for the fact the series won't be left hanging on a weirdly unsatisfying non-ending/two fingers to NBC.